All You Need to Know About Methylated Spirits.
Also referred to as denatured alcohol, methylated spirits are arguably the most effective detergents available in nearly every household. This is simply because it has a variety of uses and you won’t need to invest chemical cleaning agents if you know how to handle and use methylated spirit!
But what are methylated spirits?
Methylated spirit is a mixture of methyl and ethyl alcohol. Ethyl alcohol usually referred to as grain alcohol or ethanol, is simply the alcohol found in adult beverages. On the other hand, methyl alcohol, which is sometimes called wood alcohol or methanol, is highly poisonous and renders ethanol inconsumable.
Though not suitable for consumption, methylated spirit retains ethyl alcohol’s other properties, allowing it to be used for a variety of purposes. It is also common for other additives such as bittering agents, acetone, isopropyl alcohol to be added in methylated spirit. It is imperative to note that all these additives are intended to prevent people from consuming alcohol.
Uses for methylated spirits?
If there is a bottle of methylated spirit in your home, you might be surprised to learn that it is a highly versatile product that can be used for a broad range of applications. And because it mostly features natural ingredients, the methylated spirit is considered more environmentally friendly compared to other cleaning agents. Below are some of the common uses of methylated spirits.
Best uses for methylated spirits
• Glass cleaning: You can use methylated spirit to clean your glass windows. Just mix it with water in equal proportions and you’ll have an effective cleaner at your disposal. It can eliminate dirt, debris, and any other build-up that other common cleaning agents can’t remove. Depending on the potency of the denatured alcohol you have the mixture is usually 10:1.
• Paintbrushes: It is always a daunting task removing paint from your brushes after painting. Just dip your paintbrushes in methylated spirits for a few hours, rinse and you are done.
• Marking pens: If you have accidentally used a permanent marker on your whiteboard, you can effortlessly remove it by wiping it out using a cloth dipped in methylated spirit.
• Toys: Kids and germs just go together. If your kids have plastic toys, the chances are high that they have accumulated some dirt over the years. Thankfully, you can give them a once over with methylated spirits and breath some new life into them.
• Sticker removal: You can easily remove stickers from your mirrors or glass products by simply spraying some methylated spirit onto them.
• Fuel: Did you know that methylated spirits burn very cleanly? It can be quite hard to even see the flame. If you’re a fondue fan, this will be of interest for you.
• It can also be used as a solvent for thinning paint.
• Getting sticker residue off vehicles (great for bumper sticker residue too).
• As a general metal cleaning agent (electronics).
• Can be used in cleaning bike disc brakes, which is especially great for when your brakes are squeaking and annoying everyone.
• Cleaning DVD/CD laser lenses. For those that still buy DVD’s…
• It can also be used as a woodworking tool (as shellac and for sawdust removal).
So, why are methylated spirits good for the environment compared to other chemical-based cleaners?
While methylated spirits are generally considered toxic, it is still relatively more environmentally friendly than a number of other cleaning products available today on the market. These cleaning products are filled with numerous harmful or highly toxic chemicals that usually do more harm than good to us and the environment at large.
Most household cleanings don’t require some or most of these dangerous chemicals. In recent years, the use of more eco-friendlier cleaning products has gained lots of popularity. Some of these natural cleaning products include eucalyptus oil, vinegar, and perhaps baking soda. And another great option is the methylated spirit.
Denatured alcohol is considered somewhat more environmentally friendly because it mainly consists of methanol and ethanol. Ethanol is mainly extracted from vegetables and grains whereas methyl alcohol or methanol can be derived from methane in natural gas or wood stock.
This simply means that denatured alcohol is a green product made from natural and organic products. As such, it safe for the environment because it doesn’t contain any harmful byproducts that might pollute the environment.
What are the dangers of methylated spirits?
Even though methylated spirits are safe for the environment, it is imperative to note that it is poisonous and not suitable for human consumption. To be more precise, you should never drink methylated spirits, and always avoid contact with skin or eyes. What’s more, denatured alcohol should never be used as an antibacterial hand sanitizer.
Though methylated spirits are relatively safe compared to other stove fuels, it is highly flammable and should be handled with extreme care. Please don’t refill your burner with denatured alcohol until it is cool enough to touch. This is to ensure you don’t accidentally ignite the fuel bottle.
Are methylated spirits good for cleaning wounds?
No, the additives in denatured alcohol make it unsuitable for cleaning open wounds. It can be used to disinfect intact skin prior to the introduction of a needle, but open wounds can absorb the toxic additives associated with denatured alcohol.
Wrapping up cleaning with methylated spirits
Today, there are potentially endless cleaning products out there on the market. While they may be effective in getting the job done, most of these cleaning agents contain potentially harmful chemicals that not only outs your life in danger but can also impact the environment.
Methylated spirits are a great alternative because they feature natural products that are easy on the environment. Simply put, they are the most earth-friendly products for cleaning purposes than most cleaning products you can find in your local stores. Click here to check on consumer-available methylated spirits.